Vending machine



Augfli, 1923. 1,465,628

.5. F. FITCH VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l I} is attozvwg gwwm 0'0 7 Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,628

J. F. FITCH VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1920 5 Sheet s-Sheec g Aug. 21-, 1923. 1,465,628

J.'F. FITCH VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1920 s Sheet s-Sheet 5 law Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,528 J. F. FETCH VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented 'Aug. 21, 1923.

JOHN F. rrrcn, or. sccnnivnnvrnemre.

VENDING- MACHINE.

Application filed November'lfi, 1929. Serial n); 424,476;

To all 'whom z't may concern: I

Be it known, that I, Jon- F. Frrcm a citizen of the United States, residing at Buchanan, in the county of Botetourt and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification. i p

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines and has for its object to provide a novel and interesting COiIlI-cOntrolled vending machine.

Another object or" the invention is to provide a vending machine having an element of chance. I

A further object of the invention is to provide in la coin-controlled" vending ma-.

chine means whereby the operator may reccive an ordlnary package, 'two of saidpackages, or a prize package, the vending of said packagesbeing controlled by chance. i 7 still further object of the invention is to providein a coin-contr0lled vending ma.- chine means whereby a coin may be dropped into any one of a number of slots whereby the machine may be operated. V I I A still further object of the invention is to provide in a coin-controlled vending :machine means whereby a coin actuates the vending device. j I

Vith the above and other objects in view, which .willflhereinafter more fully appear, 'I haveinvented the device illustrated in. the accompanying drawings in which; Y

Fig; ljis a front elevational view of my vending machine,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View tliereof,, Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 8'-3,

a V Fig. 4 is a-section taken on line 4-94, Fig. 1' r Fig. 5 is a similar view' showing an op: eratedposi-tion of certain of the mecha- 'Fig'. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, 7 j

Fig.7 is a detailed elevational View of the package cabinet. 7

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthefollowing specifica tioniand in the several views in the drawings in which 1 is a coin-controlled vending machine sdaptedfor the purpose of vending packages of 'chewinggtun, candy, prize packages, cigars, or other "articles, and consis ts or. a. cabinet 2 having a package chute 3 in {the bottom thereof, and a money'dravver f1 located just above said chute. The cabinet extendsnpwardly at the bottom as at 1 5 to provide space for saidchute and money. W

drawer. The front d the-cabinet is ens closed by aglass window 6, which exposes Y a. coin guiding board 7 in which is secured plurality of pins 9, wh ch are outlined y other series of pins 10. The first series pins are arranged in anumber; of hori- Zontally. disposed rows, the pins of each row being 'ofiset from the pins of the adjoining'row so as to provide a series of vertically disposed rows of pins, each row 0 being oifsetyfromithe other rows The, pins 9 are so spaced that a coin may pass between any two thereof, and as a 'coin descends, after .being'dropped in the slot 11 which directs the same. between the .se- 3 ries of pins .10 from whence it iscaused to drop in between the pins 9, it may take any course in its descent toward the-coin slots 12, 13,1 1, 15, and 16. Four curved lines o-fpins 17,118,, 19, and 20,ftogether v with the row of pins 10, are. adapted to direct the coin into one of the slots '12,

13, 15, 01116, andthe rows of pins 18 and 19, are adaptedto direct the cointo the slot ld provided the same falls between said latter rows of pins. Directlybelowgthe board 7 is a. shelf 2l -upon which a package cabinet 22 is removably seated, guides 23, 24,. 25,. and 26 directing said cabinet to its position on said shelf 21, said'p-ackage cab 'inet being provided Witha series of channels 27, 28, 29,30, and 31, for packages 32, 83, 34, 35, and 36, {each of said stacks ofgpackages. being held in their respective channels by division walls 37 which are T-shaped in crosssecti-on, saidwalls having lower right-angular ndented extensions 40 whichpro3ect a certa n distance below'the lower-edge .38;of the back board 39 of said cabinet, said, several stacks of packages m0 seating'normally upon said indented extensions 1 0'. The distance between said lower edge 38 and said extensions- 40 isarranged according to the thickness' of any one or more packages it is desired to vend from any channel; Each of; said channels 27, to 31' respectively align with slots-.41, 42, 43, 4d, and 4.5 insaid shelf 21. In each-of said slots are slidahlyrnounted-blocks 4:6, 47, 18,

$9,;andi 50, each having side grooves 51 termined by the space between the edge 38 of the member 39 and the right-angular extensions 40, so that said blocks when passing under said channels 27 to 31 respectively will carry out one or more of the packages in said stacks 32 to 35 respectively. Horizontally movable under the s'helf'21 is an operating device for said blocks 46 to '50 inclusively, said device consisting of a rack which is provided with channel members 56, 57 58, 59 and 60 which operate'directly under said slots ll to 455 respectively, and into "which centrally disposed independent tongues 61 of each of said blocks 46 to 50 project; Each of said channels are provided withindented flanges 62 and 63 which normally operate free of said tongues 61. However, when the coin drops into any one of the coin slots 12 to 16, the same falls upon the fixed strip 64 mounted under said rack 55, and between said tongues 61 and said flanges 62 and 63 of any of said channel members, in order that when said member 55 is moved rearwardly the coin will be caused to force the particular block upon which it seats rearwardly, said block in turn causing one or more packages, as desired, to slide from ofi' said member 4:0 and fall into the chute 3 from whence it may be reached by the operator. Mounted on the rear part 65 of the member 55 are a pair of rods 66 and 67, the upper ends of which are fixed to a crank rod 68 mounted in the side walls 69 and 70 of the cabinet 1, said rod projecting through the wall 7 O and being turned at right angles to form an operating lever 71 therefor, said lever projecting through a'slot 72 in the bracket 73 on said side wall 70 whereby its movement is controlled. To the center of the rod 68 is fixed alever 74, to the free end of which is fixed a spring 7 5, the other end of which is connected to the bottom of the cabinet 1, said spring holding said lever normally down,

' which in-turn holds the rack 55 in a forward position. The rack, 55, is proportioned to engage the rear sides of all of the blocks, 46 to 50, and when returned by the spring, 75, forces to normal position any one of said blocks which has been moved to ejecting position as noted. I

When a coin is dropped into the coin slot 11 and is directed through the pins 9 to the slot 12, a'prize or other package in channel 27 is vended on the movement of thelever'? 1. When the coin is directed to slot 13, as shown in the present construction, two packages of gum are vended by the machine. When the coin is directed to slot is one package is vended, etc.

Located directly under the strip 64; is

naeaeas a money drawer a into which the coin drops after the rack 55 carries the same beyond said strip.

A hinged top 76 is provided over the package cabinet 22, the same being provided with a lock 77 Having now described my invention that which I claim is new and desire to procure by Letters Patent is:

1. A check controlled vending machine comprising a plurality of commodity stacks, ejectors for the stacks, each proportioned and contoured to eject a predetermined number of its corresponding commodity packages, means supporting the ejectors to slide freely to ejecting position, a spring-tensioned grid mounted to slide, said grid embodying a plurality of slots each embracing one of theejectors and having a common side positioned'to force all of said ejectors to normal positions simultaneously, the proportions and relations of the said slots and ejectors being such that the grid may slide freely against the tension of the spring without affecting the ejectors, means to employ a check in any slot as a connector between that slot andthe embraced ejector, chance controlled means to determine the introduction of the check into one of the several connecting positions, manual means to move the grid against the tension of the spring to actuate an ejector connected by the check and a receptacle positioned to receive the check when released by the release of manual stress. i

2. A check controlled vending machine comprising a plurality of commodity stacks,

ejectors for the stacks each proportionedand contoured to eject a predetermined number of its corresponding commodity packages,

and relations of said slots and ejectors being such that the grid may slide freely against the tension of the spring without affecting the ejectors, means to employ a check in any slot as a connector between-that slot and the embraced ejector, chance controlled means to determine the introduction of a check 'into one of -the several connecting positions,

manual means to move the grid against the tension of the spring to actuate an ejector connected by the check and areceptacle positioned to receive the check when released by the release of manual stress. i

3. A check controlled"vending machine comprising a plurality of commodity stacks; ejectors for the stackseach proportionedand contoured to eject a predetermined number of its corresponding commodity packages,

means supporting the ejectors to slide freely to ejecting position, a grid mounted to slide, a spring controlled lever, engaging said grid and tending to move said grid to the limit of its movement, said grid embodying a plu rality of slots each embracing one of the ejectors and having a common side positioned to force all of said ejectors to normal positions simultaneously, the positions and relations of said slots and ejectors being such that the grid may slide freely against the tension of the spring without affecting the ejectors, means to employ a check in any slot as a connector between the slot and the embraced ejector, chance controlled means to determine the introduction of a check into one of the several connecting positions, manual means to move the grid against the tension of the spring to actuate an ejector connected by the check and a receptacle positioned to receive the check when released by the release of manual stress.

4. A check controlled Vending machine comprising a plurality of commodity stacks, ejectors for the stacks each proportioned and contoured to eject a predetermined number of its corresponding commodity acka 'es means so. ortin the e ectors to p O 7 I? slide freely to ejecting positions, a. springtensioned grid mounted toslide, said grid embodying a plurality of slots each embracing one of the ejectors-and having a common side positioned to force all of said ejectors to normal positions simultaneously, the proportions and relations of said slots'and ejectors being such that the grid may slide freely against the tension of the spring,

without affecting the ejectors, inturned flanges carried by the grid extending intoeach of the slots adjacent to one of the ejectors in normal position and proportioned to engage therebetween a check to serve as connector between said slot and said ejector,

chance controlled means to determine the introduction of a check into one of the several connecting positions, manual means to move the grid against the tension of the spring to actuate an ejector connected by the checkand a receptacle positioned to receive the check when released by the release of manual stress.

55A check controlled vending machine comprising a plurality of commodity stacks, ejectors for the stacks, each proportioned and contoured to eject a predetermined number of its corresponding commodity packages, means supporting the ejectors to slide freely to ejecting positions, a springtensioned grid mounted to slide, said grid embodyinga plurality of slots each embracing one of the ejectors and having a common side positioned to force all of said e ectors to normal positions simultaneously,

the proportions and relations of said slots and ejectors'being such that the grid may slide freely against the tension of 'the spring without affecting the ejectors, means to employ a check in any slot as a connector between that slot and the embraced ejector, a cover for said slots provided -with a plurality of perforations each disposed over one of the said slots, a chance device for directing a check into someone of said perforations and into some one of the connect-i ing positions, manual means to move the grid against the tension of the spring to actuate an ejector connected by the check, and a receptacle positioned to receive the check when released by the release of man- 

